10 tips for choosing the right cycle helmet by road safety organisation Brake

1. Make sure your helmet is standard-approved with a recognised safety certification such as British (BS 6863 or BS EN 1078), American (ANSI Z90.4 or SNELL) or Australian (AS 2063) National Standards. Ideally a helmet should also have a British Standard Kitemark.

2. Check it is the right size - a helmet should fit snugly and securely on the head with a minimum use of pads. Do not buy a helmet that a child will “grow” into.

3. Buy a brightly coloured helmet that can be easily seen by other road users.

4. Remember that the polystyrene layer inside the helmet, which compresses to absorb the force of an impact, can only be compressed once, so helmets should be replaced after any knock or crash.

How to wear a helmet correctly

1. Loosen all the straps.

2. Place the helmet squarely on your head, sitting just above the eyebrows and NOT tilted back or tipped forwards.

3. Do up the chin strap, securely fastened and not twisted.

4. Adjust it so that it tightens firmly under your chin, with only enough room for two fingers to be inserted between chin and strap.

5. Adjust the back straps. The back and chin straps should meet just below your ear lobe. Be sure the chin strap stays in as straight a line as possible.

6. To test the helmet is correctly fitted, make sure you CAN’T tilt the helmet backwards far enough to uncover your forehead, tilt it forward enough to cover your eyes or ears, or tilt it sideways enough to uncover the sides of your head.

Read this article to find out why you should always wear a cycle helmet.